Yarn handling equipment



P 1954 L. M. DURYEE 2,688,789

YARN HANDLING EQUIPMENT Filed April 21 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet l '(DCDOG ATOQNEV Sept. 14, 1954 DURYEE 2,688,789

YARN HANDLING EQUIPMENT I Filed April 21 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 82INVENTO. Z H REn/ce" M .DuR-Y'" A TTO/QNE) Sept. 14, 1954 L. M. DURYEE2,688,789

YARN HANDLING EQUIPMENT Filed April 21 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 L FlvvR 5wtum? Sept. 14, 1954 L. M. DURYEE YARN HANDLING EQUIPMENT Filed April 21,1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 v INVENTOR. qwRs/vcs 4 DURYE A TORNEY PatentedSept. 14, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Y YARN HANDLING EQUIPMENTLawrence M. Duryee, Middlebury, Conn, assignor to Princeton KnittingMills, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of ConnecticutApplication April 21, 1950, Serial No. 157,238

Claims.

This invention relates to yarn handling equipment.

By way of example the invention will be described herein as it is usedin connection with a magazine creel. However, it is to be understoodthat this specific form of the invention is to be considered asillustrative only and the invention is not to be deemed as limitedthereby except to the extent to which certain features of suchembodiment are pointed out below and are incorporated in the appendedclaims.

In present day flat-bed knitting machines, such for example asconventional high speed tricot machines, thousands of yarns are knitsimultaneously. If these yarns were drawn from indi vidual cones orbobbins, they would take up too much space at the knitting machine.Accordingly, it is the practice to wind up a large number of yarns on asection warp spool and to use a few of these spools on each machine.Yarns are warped on the spools in a beaming machine in which severalhundred threads are wound on the spool side by side. It will beappreciated that unless the tension of all the threads in each spool ismaintained substantially uniform, the knitted fabric will be noticeablyuneven, since yarns which are more tensed tend to depress the fabriclocally and resemble a run or ripple. Moreover, when the tensions of theyarns in a spool are not uniform, the looser threads pile up and overlapthe tighter threads causing occasional snapping of the yarns duringknitting.

-In a standard magazine creel from which threads are drawn to a beamingmachine, tension is regulated by a plurality of tension units of whichone is provided for each yarn. Unless all of these units impartsubstantially identical tensions, the aforementioned defects will arise.

Differences in tension are due to various causes. For example, insqueeze type tension units, consisting of two independently rotatablehardened metal discs between which yarn runs and which are supposed tobe turned by the passage of yarn; dirt, lint, size or other foreignmatter upon becoming lodged between the discs markedly reduces the yarntension. Moreover, when the beaming machine stops, e. g., when a threadbreaks, the tension unit continues to rotate and thereby induces slackin the yarn. A further difficulty with the squeeze type tension unit isthat drag is not uniform in different units because foreign matterbecomes lodged between the discs. To remove this foreign matter theunits must be cleaned daily, and it now is customary to stopwarping-operations for about one and 2 one-half hours each shift topermit individual cleaning of the several hundred tension units of amagazine creel.

Another type of tension unit that currently is employed is theinterlocking finger type. In this unit two relatively movable comb-likemembers have their teeth interleaved. The thread runs between the teethand urges the same apart against a restoring force. This kind of unitlike-' wise is aifected by the accumulation of foreign matter and needsdaily cleaning, an operation which consumes about as much time as isconsumed with the squeeze type units. Additionally, the yarn wearsscores (grooves) in the teeth, and if a creel is allowed to run with abadly scored tension unit, the yarn passing through such unit will bescraped and seriously weakened. Also, interleaved teeth units impose amomentarily abnormally high tension each time the beaming machine isstarted.

A third type of tension unit is the twirler which consists of a wheelaround whose periphery the thread passes and which imparts tension bydrag of the wheel. Twirlers are not favored because they are subject toa marked overrun, i. e., they continue to spin for some time after thebeaming machine is stopped. The overrun very appreciably slackens thethreads and ofttimes disengages the thread, necessitating rethreading.Furthermore, twirlers are subject to scoring and consequent abrasion ofthe yarn, although not to as marked an extent as the interleaved teethtype of tension unit.

Depending upon the yarn, the knitting machine and the type of knitting(variations in patterns, inlays and stitches) it sometimes is desirableto change the tensions of all the yarns on a section warp spool. To Varythe tension of the tension units presently used, each of the severalhundred units of a magazine creel must be individually adjusted. Suchoperation involves so much time in making the changeover and inregulating the different units so as to obtain some degree of uniformitythat currently there is a great reluctance to change operating tensions.

It is a general object of the invention to provide an improved tensionunit which overcomes all the aforegoing difficulties.

It is another object of the invention to provide a tension unit of thecharacter described which comprises relatively few and simple parts, isinexpensive to manufacture, and can be threaded rapidly.

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a tension unitof the character described which will keep tension substantiallyconstant when the beaming machine is stopped or started.

It is another specific object of the invention to provide a tension unitof the character described which is so constructed that it willaccumulate no foreign matter and will not score, even over long periodsof time, and will maintain yarn in operative position on the unit whenthe beaming machine is running or when the latter stops.

It is an ancillary object of the invention to provide a tension unit ofthe character described whose tension is capable of being adjusted froma remote point.

It is another ancillary object of the invention to provide a creelingmachine having a plurality of tension units of the character describedwhich can jointly be adjusted so as to vary simultaneously the tensionof all the units.

It is another ancillary object of the invention to provide a tensionunit of the character de scribed which is capable of having the tensionimposed thereby adjusted finely and adjusted while the creeling machineis in operation.

It is another object of the invention to provide a tension unit whichhas the foregoing characteristics and which can be operated continuouslyfor long periods of time without replacement or repair.

It is another object of my invention to provide an improved twirler typetension unit.

When warping from wooden bobbins, rather than cones, there sometimes arevery marked variations in tension in the yarns entering the diverstension units.

It is an ancillary object of the invention to provide a twirler typetension unit having a simple manually operable adjustment for changingthe tension applied by the unit, so as to offset the Variation in thetension of the yarn entering the unit whereby the tensions of yarnsleaving the group of such units readily can be made substantiallyuniform.

It is another ancillary object of the invention to provide a twirlertype tension unit which is of such construction that the tension appliedby the unit is inversely proportional to the tension of the yarnentering the unit whereby the tensions of yarns leaving a group of suchunits automatically can be rendered substantially uniform.

A difiiculty often experienced in connection with tension units used inconjunction with magazine creels and beaming machines is that brokenyarns twist about adjacent unbroken yarns so that for an appreciabletime after breakage, the tension of the broken yarn is maintained in itsassociated stop-motion device. Thereafter, the yarn tension slackens atthe stopmotion device and the beaming machine is stopped. Thisnecessitates the time-consuming operation of backing off all the threadsfrom the section warp spool until the broken end is reached.

It is another object of the invention to provide a magazine creelwherein the stop-motion de vices and tension units are so mutuallyarranged as to avoid the foregoing difficulty.

More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide acombined tension unit and stop-motion device which, under allcircumstances, will stop warping action of the beaming machine atsubstantially the same time that a yarn breaks.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and in part willbe pointed out hereinafter.

This invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements and arrangements of parts which will beexemplified in the devices hereinafter described and of which the scopeof application will be indicated in the appended claims.

In. the accompanying drawings in which are shown various possibleembodiments of the invention,

Fig. l is a schematic front view of yarn handling equipment comprising abeaming machine and a magazine creel, the latter including tension unitsembodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a section warp spool such as is wound in thebeaming machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line3-3 of Fig. 1, the same illustrating one of said tension units in plan;

Fig. 4 is a side view of the tension unit shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a front view of the tension unit, the same being takensubstantially along the line 5--5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a rear view of the tension unit, the same being takensubstantially along the line 66 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a view of the tension unit seen from the line ?'i of Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional view through the tension unit, the samebeing taken substantially along the line 88 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged vertical section through the tension unit, thesame being taken substan tially along the line 99 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a View similar to Fig. 6 but including the wiring diagram ofan electric control for the tension unit;

Fig. 11 is a top view of a tension unit embodying a modified form of theinvention, the same being shown in connection with an electric dragadjusting circuit;

Fig. 12 is a side view of the tension unit shown in Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the linel3l3 of Fig. 11;

Fig. 14 is a top view of a tension unit embodying another modified formof my invention; and

Fig. 15 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line Iii-I5 ofFig. 14.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs.1-10, the reference numeral 2% denotes a conventional beaming machinewhich draws several yarns from a magazine creel 22. The beaming machineincludes a motor 24 which rotates a section warp spool 25 through asuitable power train including, for example, a belt and pulleys.

The magazine creel has a conventional frame 28 which forms a support fora large number of bobbins or cones 30 whose yarns are to be wound.

side by side on the spool 26. Associated with each cone is a tensionunit 32 embodying the present invention. A thread runs from each cone tothe associated tension unit and then through suitable guides (not shown)to the beaming machine 20.

The tension unit is of the twirler type, constituting a light squatgyratory member 34 and suitable means for mounting the same for rotationabout a vertical axis. More specifically, the gymtory member has theform and appearance of a small sheave. It includes a sheet metalsection- 38 which is formed from one piece of lightweight metal, e. g.,aluminum, into'the indicated shape which includes a flat top 38 fromwhose periphery there depends a downwardly extending annular externallyconcave side wall 40 which forms a circular track for yarn Y. Ahorizontal fiange 42 integral with the Wall 40 extends outwardly fromthe bottom edge of said wall.

The top 38 is fashioned with a central'opening 44 and is seated on ashoulder 46 formed at the top of a cylindrical plug 48 which preferablyis of lightweight metal, e. g., aluminum. An erect stub projection 50which extends through the opening 44 is peened over firmly andpermanently to secure the section 36 to the plug.

7 The plug 48 includes a central bore 52 disposed concentrically withrespect to the axis of gyration of the combined section 36 and plug 48.Said bore receives a spindle 54 which protrudes downwardly from the plugand is held in place, as by a set screw 58.

The flange 42 functions in a conventional manner to serve by its merephysical presence to prevent the yarn from riding off the member 34 aslong as some tension is present. It is desirable to provide a similarhorizontal flange at the top of the member. Accordingly, a fiat disc 58is secured as by a film 59 of adhesive to the upper surface of the top38. 7

There is a tendency for yarn to becaught in the crack. 60 where the disc58 is adjacent the periphery of the top 38. According to an ancillaryfeature of the invention, this is prevented by fabricating said disc 58from an electrically nonconductive material. Typical materials whichhave been found satisfactory for this component of the tension unit aresynthetic plastics, such for instance as cellulose acetate, cellulosebutyrate, acrylic resins and phenol-formaldehyde condensation products.These materials are available in sheet form and can be cut to thedesired washer-like shape. It is believed that when the gyratory member34 rotates at a high speed, an electrostatic charge is formed on thedisc 58 which is of the same sign as the charge on the yarn Y runningthrough the tension unit. This causes the yarn to be repelled by thedisc so that, in effect, said disc functions as an electrostatic guardto keep the yarn out of the crack 68.

The spindle 54 is received in a vertical journal constituting, forexample, a pair of bushings 82, 54 of the type known as Oilite bushings,these being metal bushings which are formed with minute cavities inwhich oil or some other suitable lubricant has been trapped. Thebushings are force-fitted in the opposite ends of a sleeve 66. The lowerbushing has its bottom end closed by a hardened press-fitted steel ball88. The sleeve is suitably mounted in a support which in the presentembodiment of the invention comprises a plate 78. It will be understoodthat the type and specific construction of the support may depend uponthe kind of magazine creel 22 with which the tension unit is to be used.The creel shown here includes angle irons H which run in front of thecones 30. Hence, the support ID for the tension unit 32 comprises aplate which is fastened in any suitable manner, for instance by nuts andbolts 15, 11 to said angle irons. The

spindle is long enough for its lower end to be seated on the ball 68which thus acts as a thrust hearing. The plate Ill is so oriented thatsaid spindle is vertically disposed. Thus the gyratory member 34 rotatesabout a vertical axis.

The concave annular side wall 48 (yarn track) is provided with an outertraction surface in order that the yarn may obtain a good purchasethereon and thereby cause the twirler to rotate fast enough for theperipheral speed of the track substantially to match the speed of theyarn, and in this fashion to reduce to a negligible minimum the slipbetween the yarn and twirler. This very substantially reduces wear ofthe yarn track and prevent scoring. In the operation of tension unitssuch as described, gyratory members have been running for many moretimes the period than normally would have caused scores to be formed inconventional tension units, and no indication whatever. of a score hasappeared upon said members.

The desired traction surface may be obtained by forming markings whichmake said surface irregular in the direction of yarn travel. Forexample, such marks may comprise depressions or ridges extending acrossthe yarn. track. A simple and economical manner in which to provide thedesired traction surface is to form a uniform series of through openings12 in the yarn track.

Twirlers constructed as aforesaid have run for several months two shiftsa work day without any cleaning; this is in contrast with the one andone-half hour cleaning period required after each shift when present dayconventional tension units are employed.

The tension unit also includes a brake 14. Said brake may be of anydesired construction but preferably is lightweight so that it lendsitself to very rapid movement. brake includes a yoke 16 As shown hereinthe of inverted U-shape whose legs are pivotally mounted on a pairofangle brackets 18 carried by the plate 70. base of the U is covered bya sleeve 19 of an tomeric material, e. g., rubber or synthetic ber, toobtain a good braking action.

The elasrub- Other suitable materials are those conventionally usedfordrum brakes. The yoke is of such length and is so mounted that thesleeve 19 swings in an are which is intercepted by a portion of thegyratory member. In order to minimize distortion of said member uponapplication of the brake, said brake is arranged to engage the plug 48beneath the section 36, a short distance above the upper bearing 62.

Means also is included to'actuate the brake,

said means desirably being extremely fast in operation. One such meanswhich has been found to operate in a very satisfactory manner is asolenoid 80. Said solenoid has a plunger '82. which is connected to theyoke 16 by a link 84 so that when the solenoid is energized it willretract its plunger and pull the yoke to the operative positionindicated by the dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 9.

Pursuant to the invention, the brake actuating means has itsenergization controlled by the state of the mechanism which draws yarnfrom the magazine creel. As long as such mechanism is drawing yarn fromthe creel, the control for the brake actuating means remainsineffective. As soon as this mechanism stops, and substantiallyinstantaneously therewith, the control means renders the brake actuatingmeans effective so that the brake functions to stop the gymtory memberat practically the same instant that the mechanism which draws yarn fromthe magazine creel is stopped for any reason whatsoever. The means forcontrolling energization of the aeesacc brake actuating:means-.;preferab.1y. isazelectricaliin nature, comprising for.exampleiarcircuit 86:;snch as .is-shown in'Fig. l0. Saidcircuit.includes a source of energyfor the solenoidthis optionally being a sixvolt storage battery 88. .The:circuit from the .storage battery totheisolenoidis iinterrupted by: the contacts-92 of a relaygSll. Theoperating coil 94 of this relay .is;.powered from a suitable :source,e.g., a singlephasesupply 95 of alternating current, whosecircuittosaidxcoil is interrupted by the normallyopen cntactsu98t0f a relay l00 :having normally .closed; contacts (-04 in thexpower circuit of thebeaming machine motor 24. The operating coil I02..of thexrelay. I00 is.in a suitable circuit (not shown) which isienergizedupon the occurrence:of any condition desired to cause the motor. 24': to stop.

From the foregoing, it will be understood'that when the relay coil I02is-energizedthe motor will be stopped. At the same'time'the. relaycontacts 98'wi1l close to energize the relay 90 .and close its contacts92. Thislatter action energizes the solenoid.80 and causesthebraketoberendered efiective. It hasbeen'observeddthat although the gyratorymember spins at a high speed duringoperation of the beaming machine; forinstance at about 3000 R. P. M., said memberis stopped so rapidly bythev means described above that the yarn in the tension unit remains inengagementwith the yarn track 40, so that there is no appreciableslackening of the yarn either between the .cone and tension unitorbetweenthe tension unit and beaming machine. For the same reason theyarn does not tend to overrun and thereafter drop off the tension unit.due to residual motion of the twirler when the beaming machine isstopped.

.It may be pointed out that the intermediate circuit from the relaycontacts 98 to-the operatingcoil 94 does not noticeably slow down thealmost' instantaneous action. of 1 the solenoid 80 on stoppingof themotor24, and such intermediate circuit avoids the necessity of, runninglow voltage lines'from the magazine creel tothe'beaming machine. It alsopermits a. lowvoltage circuit to be used for energization of thesolenoid.

'All of the solenoids in the magazine creel or a substantial sectionthereofare controlledby a single relay 90, the feed linefor the:additional solenoids being the buses I06, I08.

In accordance with an ancillary feature of the invention, a stop-motiondeviceIIIlisd-isposed adjacent the tension unit. Said device'comprises asnap-acting momentary electric switch I I2having a pair of normally opencontacts and a'rotary actuating member'IM which whenturnedin a clockwisedirection will cause the-switch contacts to close. Since the switchisofthe momentary type, as soon as clockwise torque onthe actuating memberH4 is released-the switch-will reopen these contacts. Theactuatingmember carries an operating arm I [Son which a thread eye H8 is mounted.The yarn after leaving the tension unit passes through thisthread eyeand thereafter through the conventional threading guides which lead yarnto the beaming. machine.

While the moving yarn isunbroken'the tem sion, slight as itmay be,will'keep the thread eye lI8 raised; but as-soon as the yarn breaks, theeye will drop and the contacts of the switch II2 will close. Thesecontacts are in =a conventional circuit for operating therelayIIHl whichstops the motor. -It will'be observed, with the stop-motion devicelocated adjacent the:tension unit, that it isnot possible for abroken1thread to twist r around an unbroken thread and thuskeepztheteye. raised foranyzappreciable period or: time,sso that aneffective and dependable response to breaking ofthe yarn isaccomplished.

The switch; I I2 'is'secured to a plate I20 mounted .onyor in one piecewith,.the mounting'for thetensionunit, i.-'.e. the plate 10. The plate:I20 also may serve. as a support for avpair of thread eyes I22,- I24which g'uide'the; yarn on to and off the gyratory member. Additionally,the plate i20-:.can.carry a standard yarn guiding comb; I26 throughwhich threadtravels' as it passes from the cone 30 to the guiding-in eyeI22.

lnFigs. 11+13.there is shown a tension unit I30 embodying a modifiedform of the invention. Said unit includes a gyratorymember I32 whoseconstruction andmounting is substantially the same as that shownsin thefirst described form ofthe invention. A brake I36 for-the gyratorymemberincludes-a shoe'I3B carried bya-wire I40 which is fixed to a postI4I that is pivoted in a journal I42 so: as to-rotate about a verticalaxis.

The vgyratory member I32-has a lower flange I44.-which,-for a reasonthat soon will be apparent, eXtendsfurther-away from the yarn track thandoes the flange 42 shown in the first form of; the invention. Saidflange I44 turns between a: pair ofsoftiron pole pieces I46, I48 whichform part oi the. magneticcircuit for a 0011150 of an electromagnet.Said pole pieces are .located very closeto the top and bottom surfacesof the flange I44. The flange is fashioned from anelectricallyz=conductive non-magnetic metal, a satisfactory metal beingaluminum.

.When the coil I-50 is energizedit produces a strong magneticfield-between the pole pieces and through the flange I44. This fieldreacts with the magnetic flux produced by the-eddy currents generated-inthe flange'by the field, thereby producing a drag torque.

"The. coil I58 is supplied with power from a pair of bus lines I52, I54energized fromv a battery I56 through a variable resistance I58. Thus,by moving the resistance control,.the value of thedrag torque maybevaried from a remote point without physically touching or adjusting anpart of the tension unit. All the tension units in a given magazinecreel are similarly: equippectand thus are controlled byvarying asingleresistance I58.

It is within the scope of the invention to provide. gyratory membershaving different inherent drags. This may be most simply accomplished byproviding a rotating portion thereof with one or-more projectionsthatresist motion through air. For instance, thedisc I60, which constitutesthetop flange of the gyratorymember I32 and is made from syntheticplastic, can, at thetime it is blanked out, be fashioned withprojections such as smallradial vanes I62 protruding from its uppersurface out of the way of the thread. By changing the gyratory memberson all the tension units of the magazine creel to include gyratorymembers having like vanes of a certain selected size and position, 'dragon themaga'zine creel can be adjusted to-any desired value-of tension.This method of varying the tension -is slower thantheremote controladjustment'above described, but -is satisfactory in cases where changesin tension are'not required frequently.

Figs. '14 and 15 illustrate a'tension 'um't I'IO whichembodies anothermodified form of the invention 'wherein :there is provided. a.mechanismifor; individually varying the'tension; applied by the.unitrso as' to .compensateifor variation:

tension of yarn entering the unit. Except for the omission of the eddycurrent drag means and the inclusion of the mechanism for individuallychanging applied tension, the unit is identical with the unit It!) shownin Figs. 11-13 and described above.

The aforesaid mechanism includes a pole piece I'I2 carried by an arm I'Mfixed on a post N6 of magnetic material, e. g. steel. The pole piece islocated immediately above the horizontalfiange I'I8 of the gyratorymember I89. Said pole piece and arm preferably constitute a singlepermanently magnetized member which desirably is fashioned from asubstance capable of creating a strong magnetic field, such for example,as an alloy of aluminum, nickel and copper, known to the trade as AlnicoV.

A second pole piece I82 is located immediately beneath the flange NB.This latter polepiece is carried by an arm I 8!; rotatable on a widediameter portion of the post I19. The pole piece I92 and arm I84likewise constitute a permanently magnetized single member made of astrongly magnetic substance like Alnico V.

Desirably, the two pole pieces have the same plan configuration. Thearms I'M, I84 are of such length that the poles pieces can be moved intovertical registry on opposite sides of the flange I18. The two polepieces are of opposite polarity and thereby create a magnetic fieldbetween them which extends through the flange I'I8. This field willproduce a drag torque due to the eddy currents generated in the flangeas the gyratorymember rotates. The value of the torque thus evolved willbe a function of the strength of the magnetic field and this latter canbe varied by changing the angular position of the arm I84 so as to shiftthe movable pole piece I82 more or less out of registry with thestationary pole piece I12.

If desired, such shifting can be accomplished manually and to this endthere is provided a tab I86 integral with the sleeve I88 which isjournaled on the post I16 and carries the arm I84.

An operator when he observes, for example, that the yarn leaving thebobbin B and entering the tension unit is running under too great atension, i. e. a .value higher than that desired, due to the tightnessof the yarn on the bobbin, or for any other reason, will manipulate thetab I86 to somewhat disalign the two pole pieces.

, field between the. pole pieces and reduce the drag torque, andconsequently the tension imposed. The amplitude of movement of the tabwill be determined by the value of the tension in the thread leaving thebobbin. Conversely, if the yarn is running too loosely off the bobbin,the pole pieces can be brought closer to registry thereby to increasethe tension applied by the unit.

Instead of manipulating the tab I86 manually, the control thereof may beaccomplished automatically as a function of the tension of the yarnrunning from the bobbin to the tension unit. The reference numeral I90denotes a means for accomplishing the foregoing. Said means includes aneyelet I92 through which the yarn leaving the bobbin is threaded. Thiseyelet is carried on one end of a thin spindle I94 which is reciprocablymounted in a bearing I96. The spindle is non-circular in profile tomatch the corresponding bore in the bearing, or a key or othersuitablemeans is provided, to prevent rotation of said spindle in orderthat the opening through the eyelet may be maintained in a directionextending substantially parallel to the axis of symmetry of the bobbin.The end of the spindle opposite to that on which the eyelet is mountedis operably connected, e. g. by a pivot pin I98, to the tip of the tabI86, said pin riding in a radial slot 289 in the tab in order to preventbinding. 7

Means is included to bias the tab I99 to a position in which the twopole pieces are in registry. Such means comprises a tension spring 292anchored at one end to the pin I98 and at the other end to a bar 294fixed to the post I16. Said spring pulls the eyelet I92 toward thebearing I 96, movement in this direction being limited by abutment of astop collar 286 against said bearing. In such position, the eyelet I92is radially spaced from the axis of symmetry of the bobbin, this beingthe axis about which the bobbin rotates when yarn is wound thereon. Thespindle I94 is so disposed that as the eyelet I92 is moved away from thebearing I96, it will approach the axis of symmetry of the bobbin. Thismay be accomplished by disposing said spindle I94 radially with respectto said axis of symmetry. Yarn leaving the bobbin passes through theeyelet I92 and then is led around a comb 298 to the inlet eyelet 2 I9which directs the yarn to the track of the gyratory member I'IO. Saidcomb is disposed on or near the axis of symmetry of the bobbin.

In the operation of the device, yarn traveling from the bobbin to thecomb follows a broken mean path. The term mean path, as used herein,denotes the average path of the yarn and is employed particularlybecause the yarn running from the bobbin to the eyelet I92 traces out aroughly conical envelope whose apex is said eyelet and whose base is thecylindrical surface of the yarn on the bobbin. The mean path of the yarnfrom the bobbin to the eyelet is at an angle to the path of the yarnfrom the eyelet to the comb. Hence, the yarn which is running under sometension will exert a force tending to urge the eyelet in a direction tostraighten the broken mean path. This force is opposed by the spring202. Such force increases or decreases with an increase or decrease inthe tension of the yarn running from the bobbin to the gyratory memberso that the greater the tension, the greater will be the deflection fromidle position of the eyelet I92.

Deflection of the eyelet from idle position rotates the pole piece I82in a direction out of registry with the pole piece I12 and the greaterthe deflection, the greater will be the extent of non-registry of saidpole pieces. Moreover, the greater the non-registry of the pole pieces,the less will be the drag applied thereby so that, upon an increase oftension in the yarn leaving the bobbin, the tension applied to the yarnby the tension unit will decrease.

It thus will be seen that there have been provided devices which achieveall the objects of the invention and are well adapted to meet theconditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made in the above invention,and as various changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth,it is to be understood that all matter herein described, or shown in theaccompanying drawings, is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

Having thus described the invention, there is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent:

1. For use in a yarn handling apparatus wherein yarn is drawn into amachine, a combined tension unit and stopmotion device, said tensionunit including a gyratory member having a circular yarn track whosetraction surface is irregular in the direction of the yarn travel, meansto mount saidgyratory member for rotation about a vertical axis, saidgyratory member including a pair of upper and lower horizontal flangesat least one of which is fabricated from an electrically non-conductivematerial, said tension unit further including a brake, means to mountsaid brake for movement into and out of engagement with said gyratorymember, actuating means to move said brake into engagement with saidgyratory member, said brake normally being out of contact with thegyratory member, and means to energize said actuating means, saidenergizing means being responsive to the condition of the machineandbeing efiective when the machine" stops drawing yarn, saidstop-motion device being mounted adjacent the tension unit and includinga switch which controls the stopping of a motor which actuates saidmachine.

2. For use in a yarn handling apparatus wherein yarn is drawn into amachine, a combined tension unit and stop-motion device, said tensionunit including a gyratory member having a circular yarn track whosetraction surface is irregular in the direction of the yarn travel, meansto mount said gyratory member for rotation about a vertical axis, saidgyratory member including a pair of upper and lower horizontal flangesone of which is fabricated from an electrically non-conductive materialand the otherfrom an electrically conductive non-magnetic metal, saidtension unit further including a brake, means to mount said brake formovement into and out of engagement with said gyratory member, actuatingmeans to move said brake into engagement with said gyratory member, saidbrake normally being out of contact with the gyratory member, means toenergize said actuating means, said energizing means being responsive tothe condition of the machine and being effective when the machine stopsdrawing yarn, and an electromagnetic drag constituting an electromagnethaving pole pieces disposed adjacent the metallic flange, saidstop-motion device being mounted adjacent the tension unit and includinga switch which controls the stopping of a motor which actuates saidmachine.

3. For use in a yarn handling apparatus wherein yarn is drawn intoamachine, a tension unit including a gyratory member having a circularyarn track whose traction surface is irregular in the direction'of theyarn travel, means to mount said gyratory member for rotation about avertical axis, said gyratory member including a pair of upper and lowerhorizontal flanges at least one of which is fabricated from anelectrically non-conductive material, said tension unit furtherincluding a brake, means to mount said brake for movement into and outof engagement with said gyratory member, actuating means to move saidbrake into engagement with said gyratory member, said brake normallybeing out of contact with the gyratory member, and means to energizesaid actuating means, said energizing means being responsive to thecondition of the machine and being efiective when the machine stopsdrawing yarn.

4. For use in a yarn handling apparatus comprising a large number ofsources'of yarn which are drawn into a machine, a tension unit includinga gyratorymember havinga circular J yarn track whose traction surfaceisirregular in. the direction .of the yarn travel, means to mount saidgyratory member for. rotation'about a vertical axis, said gyratorymember including a pair of upper and lower horizontal flanges one ofwhich is fabricated from an. electrically nonconductive material and theother from an electrically conductive non-magnetic metal, said tensionunit further including a brake, means to mount said brake for movementinto and out of engagement with said gyratory member, actuating means tomove said brake into engagement with said gyratory member, said brakenormally being out of contact with the gyratory member, means toenergize said actuating means, said energizing means being responsive tothe condition of the machine for drawing yarn from said sources andbeing efiective when the machine stops drawing yarn from said sources,and an electromagnetic drag constituting an electroma net having polepieces disposed adjacent the metallic flange.

5. For use in a yarn handling apparatus comprising a large number ofsources of yarn which are drawn into a machine, a plurality of tensionunits, one for each of the sources of yarn, each tension unit includinga gyratory member having a circular yarn track, means to mount saidgyratory member for rotation about a vertical axis, a brake, means tomount said brake for movement into and out of engagement with thegyratory member, and electric actuating means to move said brake intoengagement with said gyratory member, said brake normally being out ofcontact with the gyratory member, and means to energize jointly allofsaid actuating means, said energizing means including a circuit adaptedto be fed by'a'source of electric energy, a pair of normally opencontacts insaid circuit, said circuit being connected to all saidactuating means, and means responsive to the condition of said machinefor closing said contacts, said last-named means being effective whensaid machine stops drawing yarn from said sources.

6. For use in a yarn handling apparatus comprising a large number ofsources of yarn which are drawn into a machine, a plurality'of tensionunits, one for each of the sources of yarn, each tension unit includinga gyratory member having a circular yarn track, means to mount saidgyratory member for rotation about a vertical axis, a brake, means tomount said brake for movement into and out of engagement with thegyratory member, and a solenoid to move said brake into engagement withsaid gyratory member, said brake normally being out of contact with thegyratory member; and means to energize jointly all of said solenoids,said energizing means including a circuit adapted to be fed by a sourceof electric energy, a pair of normally open contacts in said circuit,said circuit being connected to all said solenoids, and means responsiveto the condition of said machine for closing said contacts, saidlast-named means being effective when said machine stops'drawing yarnfrom said sources.

7. For use in a yarn handling apparatus comprising a machine driven byan electric motor having a switch in its feed lines, a plurality oftension units, one for each of the sources of yarn, each tension unitincluding a gyratory member having a circular yarn track, means to mountsaid gyratory member for rotation about a vertical axis, a brake, meansto mount said brake ing means including a circuit adapted to be fed by asource of electric energy, a pair of normally open contacts in saidcircuit, said circuit being connected to all said solenoids, and meansresponsiveto the condition of said machine for closing said contacts,said last-named means being effective when the motor switch disconnectsthe feed lines from the motor.

8. A tension unit including a gyratory member comprising a section madefrom one piece of sheet metal and constituting a top, a concave sidewall serving as a yarn track and a lower outwardly extending flange, adisc of electrically non-conductive material, and means to secure saiddisc to the top of said section in position to constitute a secondflange.

9. A tension unit including a gyratory member having a circular yarntrack, a spindle depending from said member, a vertical bushing in whichsaid spindle is journaled, and a ball disposed in the lower end of saidbushing, the bot- .tom of saidspindle resting on said ball to take up.the vertical thrust of said gyratory member. v10. Foruse in a yarnhandling, apparatuscomprising a large number of sources of yarn, atension unit including a gyratory member including a circular portion ofan electrically conductive non-magnetic metal, said member having acircular yarn track concentric with said metallic portion, and anelectromagnetic drag means constituting an electromagnet having polepieces disposed adjacent the metallic portion.

11. For use in a yarn handling apparatus comprising a large number ofsources of yarn which are drawn into a machine, a plurality of tensionunits, one for each of the sources of yarn, each tension unit includinga gyratory member having a circular portion of an electricallyconductive non-magnetic metal and a circular yarn track concentric withsaid metallic portion, and electromagnetic drag means constituting anelectromagnet having pole pieces disposed adjacent the metallic portion,and circuit means for supplying electric energy jointly to all of saidelectromagnets, said circuit means including means to vary the potentialapplied to said electromagnets.

12. For use in a yarn handling apparatus wherein yarn is drawn into amachine, a tension unit including a gyratory member having a circularyarn track whose traction surface is irregular in the direction of theyarn travel, means to mount said gyratory member for rotation about avertical axis, said gyratory member including a pair of upper and lowerhorizontal flanges at least one of which is fabricated from anelectrically conductive non-magnetic material, said tension unit furtherincluding a brake, means to mount said brake for movement into and outof engagement with said. gyratory member, actuating means to move saidbrake into engagement with said gyratory member, said brake normallybeing out of contact with the gyratory member, means to energize saidactuating means, said energizing mean being responsive to the conditionof the machine and being efiective when the machine stops drawing yarn,and means to pass a magnetic field of selectively variable intensitythrough said flange of electrically conductive non-magnetic material.

13. A tension unit as set forth in claim 12 wherein the last-named meansincludes a permanent magnet.

14. A tension unit as set forth in claim 13 wherein the last-named meansincludes a movable permanent magnet.

15. A tension unit as set forth in claim 14 wherein said last-namedmeans includes a per- .manent magnet automatically movable responsive tothe tension of yarn entering the tension unit.

16. For use with a bobbin having yarn wound about an axis of symmetry, atension unit including a gyratory member having a circular yarn trackand an annular portion concentric with said track and fabricated fromelectrically conductive non-magnetic material, means to mount saidgyratory member for rotation, a pair of yarn guiding elements, means tomount one of said elements adjacent said axis of symmetry, means tomount the other of said elements remote from said axis of symmetry, saidother element being adapted to be disposed closer to the bobbin thansaid one element, means to stationarily support said one element, meansto support said other element for movement in a direction toward andaway from said axis of symmetry, means to bias said other element in thedirection away from asid axis of symmetry, means to pass a. magneticfield through said annular portion, said last-named means including apair of permanent magnets including one stationary magnet and onemovable magnet, and means responsive to movement of said other memberfor moving the movable magnet, said movable magnet being in substantialregistry with said stationary magnet when the unit is idle.

17. For use in a yarn handling apparatus wherein a large number ofsources of yarn are drawn into a machine: a plurality of tension unitsone for each of the sources of yarn, each tension unit including asquat, light, yarndrivengyratory member having a narrow, annular,peripheral yarn receiving surface about which the yarn passes in itspath from a source of yarn to the machine, means to mount said gyratorymember for rotation about a vertical axis, a brake, means to mount saidbrake for movement into and out of engagement with said gyratory member,a brake actuating means for causing said brake to operate on thegyratory member, said brake normally being idle, and means to jointlyenergize all of said actuating means, said energizing means including acircuit adapted to be fed by a source of electric energy, a pair ofnormally open contacts in said circuit, said circuit being connected toall said actuating means, and means responsive to the condition of saidmachine for closing said contacts, said last-named means being effectivewhen said machine stops drawing yarn from said sources.

18. For use in a yarn handling apparatus wherein a large number ofsources of yarn are drawn into a machine: a plurality of tension units;each of said units including a squat, light, yarn-driven gyratory memberhaving a narrow, annular, peripheral yarn receiving surface about whichthe yarn passes in its path from a source of yarn to the machine, meansto mount said member for rotation about a vertical axis, a metallicmember rotatable with said gyratory member, and an electro-magnet havingpoleaes'sws'e pieces spaced from but adjacent the metallic member; andvariable means to supply. current to the electro-magnets of all thetension-units simultaneously whereby the tension applied by all of saidunits may be altered by means of a single adjustment.

19. In a warping apparatus having a' yarn package and a warp beam uponwhich the yarn from said package is wound: a yarn tensioning meanscomprising a squat, light, yarn-driven gyratory member having a narrow,annular, peripheral yarn-engaging surface about which the yarn passes inits path from the yarn package to the warp beam, a slender, verticalspindle supporting said member, a vertical bushing through which thespindle extends, a hardened steel surface, and means locating said steelsurface beneath and in contact with the lower end of the spindle wherebythe spindle rests and turns on said surface.

20. A tension unit including a light yarndriven gyratory member having anarrow, annular, concave, metal yarn traction surface with horizontalflanges above and below said traction surface at least one of which isof synthetic plastic material capable of generating a charge of the samesign as that carried by the yarn which engages said traction surfacewhereby the yarn is repelled by said flange.

References'Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberNumber Name Date Todd May 2, 1899 Tuttle Apr. 19, 1921 Mossberg Sept.12, 1922 Peterson Jan. 27, 1931 Abbott Dec. 19, 1933 Snyder Apr. 10,1934 Bee Apr. 2, 1935 Bruenn May 21, 1935 Pym Mar. 10, 1936 Viens Mar.16, 1937 Parwin Jan. 25, 1938 Keyes Nov. 7, 1939 Johnson Aug. 25, 1942Patterson Aug. 10, 1943 Kraft Dec. 5, 1944 St. Pierre Apr. 30, .1946Wilhelm Aug. 19, 1947 Bouvet Jan. 11, 1949 Miller Sept. 20, 1949 Bullardet a1 Aug. 22, 1950 Parker Apr. 1, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Country DateGreat Britain Dec. 15, 1927 Great Britain June 11, 1947 Germany Aug.16,1935

